The AE Arc Turned Upside Down
by Yami Val
Summary: A tale that occurs in an alternate reality, where the Priest is the Pharaoh and the Pharaoh is his slave, literally. Pairing SethxAtemu.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! _

_Major Pairing: Seth x Atemu_

_Character names: In this story, Joey/Jounouchi is referred to as Jono, while Tea/Anzu is referred to as Teana. Atemu, Yugi and Seth will maintain their names. :)_

_(authors' other notes at the end of this chapter)_

**The AE Arc Turned Upside Down** : written by Yami Val and scarlet wax petal

Prologue 

Heliopolis was once, like many other places bordering the Nile, a flourishing hub of civilization, a bustling center of trade and industry where the populace actively engaged in markets of varied natures. In this respect, it was akin to the other Ancient Egyptian cities -- rich, renowned and progressive. But, actually, it was more than just that. At the time of this account, Heliopolis was in its glory, the seat of Egyptian art and culture. The priests had agreed it was because of Ra, the sun god, and Heliopolis, being the center of sun worship, was deemed the most blest.

Anyone could suppose why the Pharaoh had come to this city often. The said activity had become so regular, almost a habit, that it had raised many questions in the minds of his advisors, and even with some of his more inquisitive subjects from among the commoners. Why would the Pharaoh bother so much about one city, no matter how outstanding it was, when he had many other things to think about? They could only assume, but none would say a word to inquire. After all, he was Pharaoh, and he was absolute.

But the young Pharaoh, unknown to them, had similar questions in his mind. Why had he so often come, as if pulled by an invisible string, to Heliopolis? He wasn't too certain. All he knew was that he was looking for something, something that would ease the pain and emptiness that exist within him. But… what would that be? And why Heliopolis, of all places? Well, for one, he was a man fascinated by a good show of skill, and since he recognized the city as that abounding with rare talent, that must be it. However, though many times the populace had been very happy to oblige and to show off a few of its best, the young Pharaoh was still unsatisfied. He still felt incomplete.

He had yet to find what he was looking for. Logic, his pride, should have told him to search somewhere else. But, for some reason (and much to the annoyance of his more impatient subordinates), he insisted on this place. It surprised him, really, that he felt damned certain Heliopolis _really _had what he was looking for, after he had searched everywhere in it.

Or rather, almost everywhere. Today, the Pharaoh had been unsuccessful in his quest, again. It was the fifteenth time. Most of his companions were thoroughly vexed. Nonetheless, unlike them, he was patient. Taking note of the areas he had searched today, he turned his horse around. There were just a few more places to look, he realized. After taking one more glance at the city, he rode off to the direction of the palace.

Tomorrow would be another day, he thought. Hopefully, tomorrow, his quest would finally end.


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! _

_Major Pairing: Seth x Atemu_

_Character names: In this story, Joey/Jounouchi is referred to as Jono, while Tea/Anzu is referred to as Teana. Atemu, Yugi and Seth will maintain their names. :)_

_(authors' other notes at the end of this chapter)_

**The AE Arc Turned Upside Down** : written by Yami Val and scarlet wax petal

* * *

Chapter One 

Even as the day was starting to wane, the commotion of everyday life in the Heliopolis central marketplace was still about at its peak. Everywhere, there were merchants and clients, travelers and citizens, busily moving about in various directions like honeybees flitting for nectar-filled flowers. The place may have been huge, but with so many people being accommodated, it was definitely crowded. With the air abuzz, and not a moment of silence, with voices of men, women and children engaged in day-to-day affairs, it was hard to compete in terms of sound…

"Temu!"

…especially for a little boy.

He was young, about twelve years of age, and in such terms, no longer a little boy. Almost a young man, supposedly. But one glance at him would make anyone who didn't know any better think otherwise. Short and skinny, with the most innocent amethyst eyes and a childlike voice, Yugi (for that was the little boy's name) could easily pass for any eight-year-old.

"Temu! Temu, where are you?" he yelled again his brother's name. But no one seemed to hear the words so easily drowned in the market noise. Yugi stopped and looked around, deftly peering at the faces of all who passed by, searching from among them his brother's face. If his brother had been in the crowd, Yugi would have easily found him; after all, they were the only people in the city who bore the striking hair of black and crimson and gold. Spiked high in all directions like a solid flame, it was a breathtaking sight -- those who knew them had often agreed, with an awe-stricken sigh. His brother was, of course, proud of this quality.

But all that Yugi saw were common brown locks and unfamiliar faces. Anxiety crept into his heart and he ran, frantically glancing left and right as his bare feet bounded on dusty roads. Soon afterwards, exhaustion caught up with him and he stopped to catch his breath. His brother was still nowhere in sight. As he gasped and bent to grip his knees, he tried to call again, but a sandy feeling scratched on his throat and he coughed.

"Yuge!" Someone yelled from behind. Yugi turned to see his friends Jono and Teana.

"Hello--" _Gasp. _"You two--" _Gasp._ Yugi greeted, heaving out the raspy words as he tried to chase his breath. From where he was, still bent over and clutching his knees, he could see his two friends rushing for him. There was a look of worry on their faces he wished he hadn't noticed. He breathed once more. The air breezed along his throat, drying it even further, causing him to cough violently. Teana promptly ran to his side and embraced him.

"There now, little Yugi," she soothingly said, as she gently caressed his back with her hand, "everything will be alright."

When he tried to talk despite his gasping, Jono raised a hand to stop him. Together, he and Teana brought Yugi to one shaded side of the street and let him sit on the ground to rest. When he had recovered, the boy wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand and asked, "Have you seen Temu anywhere?"

"No, sorry." Teana frowned and shook her head.

"I thought you both were painting the priests' temple today," Jono added.

"We were, and done for the day," Yugi replied as he shakily held up the toolbox for his two friends to see. Jono noticed the many colored stains on Yugi's arm. "A while back, we were together on our way home," the boy continued, "and then Temu said he was heading for the market to get us supper while I cleaned our tools. But, after he had left, I noticed he had left our money."

"Well, we will help you look for him," Teana smiled.

"Thank you," Yugi said cheerily. Jono took his arm and helped him up. Together, the three friends strolled the streets in search of Yugi's brother. They had walked a good while when Yugi heard the inviting sound of flutes, drums and various string instruments. He took off running toward the music.

"Follow me!" Yugi yelled back at his friends. Quickly, they made their way through the street and through the crowd that was gathered to watch whatever was going on.

Yugi stopped and smiled admiringly at the sight before him. Atemu had gotten rid of his usual cream-colored tunic and was now wearing black pants and a crimson sleeveless vest that showed off his well-toned stomach. With every beat, he tantalizingly moved his lean bronzed body, carefully yet seemingly effortlessly following the rhythm in the air. Yugi could hear the sighs of approval from the fixated audience, and he beamed proudly. His brother was not only a very talented painter, but a handsome and graceful dancer as well.

Jono's and Teana's eyes went wide with awe as they watched Atemu. The dark kohl lining his crimson eyes made him look more mysterious and seductive than he already was. The small cymbals he wore on his fingers chimed with the beat of the drums emphasizing the movement of his hips. And, of course, he had his exceptionally wild hair. It swayed with each turn of his head, like fiery leaves atop a lithe palm tree caressed by a soft desert breeze. Simply put, he was absolutely gorgeous.

Yugi then noticed someone behind Atemu. The person had placed creamy milk hands on Atemu's waist. Then, when the person swung from place to the tune of the drums, Yugi saw who it was and he smiled. It was Kisara, the fair-skinned beauty with long straight hair as blue as the morning sky. Wearing a tiny white shirt, a turquoise waist scarf and a long dark blue skirt that all enhanced her lovely figure, she was almost as stunning as Atemu. Yugi thought that she and his brother were the two most beautiful people in existence. In one swift motion she reached down and grabbed her tambourine that was lying at Atemu's feet. Her long hair swept carelessly as she complemented the sensual movements of her partner.

Atemu and Kisara were very seductive and the dance seemed to have that same aura about it. Their faces were mere inches apart as they swayed their hips in chorus, as if they could read each other's minds, as if they could tap into each other's hearts. Kisara rapped her tambourine upon her hips as Atemu clapped the cymbals in his fingers. Both of their eyes were shut as they seemed to let the music take control of their bodies.

The crowd was smiling, clapping and whispering at the magnificent sight they were witnessing. Yugi felt a deep sense of pride and joy as he watched his brother and Kisara perform. Atemu had always loved dancing. It was one of those things that truly made him happy and free.

Soon the performance was over, much to the disappointment of many in the crowd. Atemu stood with his hands atop his head while Kisara sat at his feet with her arms around his ankles and the slit on her skirt showing off one lovely elegant leg. The crowd clapped and cheered as they threw gold coins at the two performers. When the audience had left, Atemu and Kisara split the money fairly between them.

Yugi ran up and embraced his brother. "You did a wonderful job, Temu!"

"Thank you, little one," Atemu said in his deep baritone voice as he smiled down at his little brother. Yugi had called him Temu since the time he could speak. He could never get the A out so Temu it was and it stuck. Atemu never minded, and in fact thought it was endearing, a gesture as special as a brothers' bond; so only Yugi ever had the privilege of calling him that. Everyone else, as if knowing the unspoken rule, referred to him by his true name: Atemu.

"Hello, Yugi," Kisara greeted, drawing the two brothers out of their thoughts.

Yugi let go of Atemu. "Hello Kisara," he said in reply, looking up at the lovely woman appreciatively. "You did a wonderful job as well." Teana and Jono also nodded their approval of the performance. They had never seen anybody dance with such grace as Atemu and Kisara.

Yugi gave Jono and Teana a big smile, feeling grateful that they were his friends. Briefly, he looked back at the time when he and his brother first arrived in Heliopolis, when they had first met the lively pair. That was six years ago. Atemu had been ten and Yugi had been six, the sole survivors of a deadly plague that had swept through a tiny village miles from the bustling city that was now their home. Yugi shuddered as he recalled the dying forms of his family and friends, and quickly shut the sad memory from his mind. Instead, he filled his thoughts with the joyous times that he had spent with his friends in Heliopolis. It was so easy for him to do that; with his spirit packed with life and light and optimism, he could effortlessly bring himself to forget sorrow and pain, and focus on the more pleasant moments in his life. His brother had many times envied him for this trait.

Atemu, though he had often wanted to forget, seemed to have something inside him that drove him not to, ever insisting to remember. He recalled the night that they were orphaned when, thankfully, he had the sense to take Yugi away from the death-ridden place. Protectively carrying his brother in his arms, Atemu had run as fast and as far as he could away from the village, taking care not to glance back; but to the day of this account, the scenes were still fresh in his young mind. Hopeless cries. The stench of corpses. Roads littered with bodies of the dead and the dying… his father and mother choking, convulsing, spilling blood and gut all over the ground. Leaving them alone, almost taking them along. Atemu and his brother had come so close to death, that it was a miracle both had escaped unscathed by the plague, arriving days later at Heliopolis.

They were starved and tired when they reached their destination. Yugi was greatly weakened by the journey, fainting every few hours from hunger, thirst and exhaustion. Atemu had feared that his brother would die, and that he would be helplessly watching it as it happened, just as he had witnessed his parents waste away before his very eyes.

And then, as fate would have it, Jono and Teana found them. The two kind youths gave them bread, herbs and water, and then took them to a gentle old lady who had been their friend from the time that they were little children. The elderly lady, being widowed, childless and alone, greatly appreciated having Atemu and Yugi in her care. Since then, she had treated the two brothers as if they were her own sons. She gave them all that she could offer -- a warm home, some food and lots of love. Materially, it wasn't much, for the old lady was poor, but Atemu and Yugi had never been happier.

The elderly lady taught Atemu her trade: weaving baskets and making pottery. Atemu quickly learned the skills and was soon helping the woman in her business. She then taught him the basics of painting and Atemu had proved to be a very able student, sharply mastering the various techniques of line, color and shade. When he had time away from his work, he shared to his brother what he knew, and Yugi was soon catching up in artistic ability. Every now and then, when they didn't have much to do, Atemu and Yugi would spend hours strolling the streets of Heliopolis with Jono and Teana. Sometimes, they would even take the elderly lady along for the walk, and everyone would be swapping jokes and stories. It was a happy life indeed for all of them.

But the lady, being advanced in age, didn't have much time left with her; and so one day, she had to pass on to the afterlife. While she lay on her deathbed, Atemu, Yugi, Jono and Teana were all at her side, tearful and heartbroken. Little Yugi, especially, who was sobbing uncontrollably on the lady's chest. She smiled lightly, one hand caressing the young boy's hair with the little strength that she had left. The other hand, the hand that had toiled, fed them and given them hope, Atemu had held in his.

"Yugi… Atemu… Jono, Teana, my children…" she whispered in a feeble voice.

"Shh…" Atemu hushed, trying to maintain his calm. "No, don't talk. Please. Save your strength." His voice was shaking. He strained to control himself; he can't let himself be hysterical at a time like this. He had to be strong. For her, and for everyone.

The woman shook her head. "There is no reason to, my son. This is the end. I can feel it, hear it, already. I'm beginning to see the life beyond… It's so beautiful, so beautiful indeed…" There weren't tears in her eyes as she said this. She was even smiling, her eyes staring euphorically at the sky. The youths gulped, the tears falling freely down their faces.

"I wish you could see. But not now. You are all young, with many years ahead of you. My time stops here. I have to go to where I have to go. It's so beautiful, so peaceful… So don't cry for me. Be happy for me. I will finally be at peace, be reunited with my husband, be where I truly belong…" She turned her sight towards them. "So smile, my children. Please. For me."

Briskly, they had wiped their tears with their hands, and forced a smile on their lips. Only Yugi had not obliged. He still had his face slumped on the lady's chest, his shoulders shaking from his sobbing.

"Yugi… my little Yugi…" She patted the boy's head with her hand. "Be strong, my son." And to Atemu, "Whatever happens, protect your little brother. And love him with all your heart." Atemu had promptly nodded.

The hand in Atemu's was beginning to loosen, the voice of the woman abruptly becoming softer and weaker. The youths could tell that the end was coming this moment. "Yugi… Atemu… Jono, Teana, my children… thank you… for giving meaning to my life. I love you. I love you… I--"

And her hand, dropping limply like a fallen leaf, had slipped from Atemu's grasp and lay lifeless beside her. Her breathing had stopped. Frantically, Atemu had reached for her wrist. He felt nothing. The woman had yielded her final exhale and surrendered her soul to the heavens. Yugi cried even harder. Atemu took him in his arms, wordlessly. There wasn't much to say. They were on their own, again.

The brothers were left with the elderly lady's home and business. They cared for the business with as much devotion as the woman had for it when she was still alive. The trade wasn't much, but to the two brothers, it was more than enough. Furthermore, Atemu was able to work a deal with the baker whom Jono and Teana worked for. By providing reed baskets and clay jars to the bakeshop, Atemu was given freshly baked loaves of bread. This way, the two brothers never went hungry.

However, the kind baker, beaten by fatigue from being too hardworking, soon succumbed to a terrible illness, and the shop was immediately inherited by his younger brother, a mean and miserable man who was obsessed with keeping everything for himself. Jono and Teana suffered much from his nasty words and beatings, but, coming from poor families themselves and with no other means of livelihood, they were forced to stay in the bakery. For Atemu, this meant that he would have to find food somewhere else. He recalled the time when this fact was made clear to him, the day the mean baker took over the shop.

Atemu and Yugi had arrived at the bakeshop door early morning to present their newest creations: two large earthen water jars. The kind baker had commissioned the two brothers to create the jars for him, as a gift for his sister on her wedding day, and had promised several months' supply of bread if they could accomplish the task on time. Atemu beamed with pride as he glanced at the jars. It had taken him and his brother nearly three weeks of labor to create the jars, and the result had been well worth the effort. Smoothly crafted and perfectly round in the right areas, and hand-painted with vividly colored visions of fish and birds and flowers, it was the perfect wedding gift, and would have exceeded the baker's expectations. _He might even increase our food supply when he sees these_, Atemu thought hopefully.

Yugi lightly rapped on the door, and it opened. The two brothers gaped in surprise when a different man stood at the door.

"What do you bastards want?" he asked them brusquely, glaring down at them with a frighteningly stern expression. Yugi gulped in dread and absently gripped his brother's arm for protection. Atemu stared at the man's cold gray eyes. He could easily tell that the man spelled trouble for him and Yugi. Nevertheless, Atemu knew he had to try; otherwise, he and his brother would go hungry. Their supply of bread was already running short.

He summoned his courage. "Forgive us, kind sir," he said as steadily as he could, "but we are here to deliver these jars for the shop owner, the ones he had requested. We would also like to claim the bread that he had promised in exchange."

The man let out a solid laugh in mocking. "I don't know what you are talking about. I am the shop owner now, and I didn't request for any stupid-looking jars to be brought to my doorstep. And," he roared, "I certainly would never give free bread to punks like you! If you want to eat, pay, or get the hell out of my sight!"

"But, sir, my brother and I are hungry and--"

"Didn't you hear what I had just said?" He approached the two brothers. Yugi hid, quivering behind his brother's back. Atemu stayed his ground and faced the baker as bravely as he could, ready for a fight. The baker glared down at him with narrow eyes; but Atemu didn't seem intimidated. For a moment, the baker seemed disappointed; and then, glancing around, he noticed the jars and an evil glint formed in his sight. Atemu's eyes widened in shock when he finally realized what the baker had in mind. He tried to do something to prevent it, but the man was bigger and faster than him.

As the two brothers helplessly watched in horror, the baker ruthlessly kicked and pounded the two jars to worthless disposable rubble. With each shattering piece, Atemu seemed to hear his heart break, and with each fragment that fell to the ground, he also felt his hopes plummet. Three weeks of weary arms and sleepless nights, all gone in an instant. Yugi felt faint, slipping to the ground in tears as he gaped at the dust that had once been his and his brother's masterpiece.

"Now get the hell out of my sight!" the baker demanded. And he slammed the door at their faces, leaving the two brothers, hopelessly bewildered, weeping in each other's arms.

Since then, they had to rely on the meager earnings of their business in order to eat. Competition was tough in Heliopolis, and it was often the more powerful merchants and officials who succeeded and grew rich. Not commoners like Atemu and Yugi. Food was often in short supply; in some days, there was none to eat at all. Thankfully, the two brothers were hired to paint the priests' temples. The pay wasn't much, but at least it brought food to their table. However, the job was an occasional one, and Atemu had to find another source of income. It was then that he met Kisara, an orphan of the same age as he, and the two became dancers. It was something they did not only for money, but also for fun. They both loved the way the music drew them out of the real world if only for a little while.

Yugi's tugging at his clothes took Atemu out of his reverie.

"Temu, were you able to get food for us?" the boy asked. "You left our money, see?" He showed the coins to his brother.

"It's alright," said Atemu, smiling. "I had some spare money with me, and it had been enough. Plus, Kisara and I earned quite a lot today."

"That's good," Yugi sighed.

Atemu patted his brother lightly on the back. "We best be getting home before it gets dark," he said.

"Alright. I will see all of you tomorrow," Yugi waved at Jono and Teana.

"Bye Yugi… Atemu!" both Teana and Jono exclaimed as they ran off toward their homes.

"My lovely lady, I will dance with you again soon," Atemu smiled at Kisara as he took her hand and respectfully kissed it.

Months back, Kisara would have blushed at this gesture. She had seen how kind and caring, not to mention handsome, Atemu was, and she had quickly fallen in love with him. However, she later learned, from what Atemu had confided, that the young man had no interest in women. At first, Kisara was hurt, but she soon accepted it, and now regarded Atemu as a brother. She sincerely wished that he would find someone whom he would love, and would treat him with the same love and kindness that he so deserved. She saw that the world had been so cruel to him and his brother, despite the goodness of their intentions, and she hoped that everything would eventually turn out well for both of them.

"Yugi, you better keep an eye on him," she giggled and gave a wink before she turned and ran off.

Atemu smirked quite knowingly. When Kisara had gone, he let Yugi take his hand and the two brothers began walking their way home.

Yugi looked up at his brother. "What are we having for supper, Temu?" he asked.

Atemu thought for a while. "Well, we are having boiled potatoes, onions, bread and this." Atemu let go of Yugi's hand and pulled out a bottle of wine from his bag.

A breath of shock escaped Yugi's lips. He knew that wine was expensive and Atemu would have spent a lot of money on this luxury. Nonetheless, he also became excited at seeing the bottle. He had heard that wine tasted great and he couldn't wait to try some of it.

"How did you get that?" he finally asked.

"Do not worry, little one." Atemu took Yugi's hand and squeezed it reassuringly as they continued walking. When they arrived home, Yugi sat in the corner of the room, which was both a kitchen and social area. He busied himself with cleaning his and his brothers' brushes and getting their supplies ready for the priests' temple they needed to finish painting tomorrow. When he looked up, he saw Atemu standing over a medium-sized cauldron and tossing in chopped potatoes. Atemu then busied himself with cutting up the onions and placing them and two slices of bread on two wooden plates.

Gingerly, Atemu opened the bottle of wine and poured the liquid into two cups. The wonderful smell wafted through the room and Yugi sniffed contentedly, and he smiled, thankful for having the wine to drink and the food to eat, and for having Atemu as his brother.

"Yugi, come eat," Atemu said as he finished putting what little food there was onto the plates. He lay the plates on the table and sat down, while Yugi set his work aside and slumped across his brother.

"I have everything ready for tomorrow so we can just get up and go," Yugi cheerily said.

"Good." Atemu seemed to be deep in thought, staring at the wine in his cup. He didn't even smile. Yugi gazed at him worriedly. Deep down, he wished that his brother were the Atemu back in the tiny village, always laughing and playing and smiling. Now, his brother had grown more anxious and serious each passing day, and Yugi had noticed. Nonetheless, he knew, somehow, that his brother would someday be entirely happy again, and the thought filled Yugi with so much hope.

Whatever may happen, Yugi would offer all the love and support that he could give to his brother. He truly wished that he could help in some other, greater way, but for now, this was all that he could do. After saying a prayer for both of them, he brought his sight to his food.

His plate had much more food than his brother's. Yugi frowned.

"Temu, I have more food than you. Let's trade. I'm not really that hungry."

Atemu shook his head. "No. Eat. You are still growing and need it more."

"But--"

"No buts. Now eat," Atemu said sternly, feigning anger.

Yugi sighed as he began to eat, knowing he could not win the argument, again. Atemu smiled, glad that his brother had obliged. When Yugi drank his wine, an innocent murmur of satisfaction passed through his lips. Atemu stifled a laugh. He was glad that he had brought this wine home.

When they were done eating, Yugi stood and said, "Tomorrow after work we need to go the Nile. We are almost out of water for drinking and washing."

"I know, little one. We will get it; don't worry," Atemu said. He watched casually as Yugi opened his mouth and yawned, and a gently smile played on his lips. His brother was so young, so kind, so pure… so worth loving and protecting. He would gladly give up everything, even his own self, if only Yugi would be safe and happy.

"Well--" _Yawn. _"I am going to sleep. Good night, Temu." Yugi walked over and gave his brother a hug.

"Good night. I will be in soon," Atemu grinned as he playfully ruffled Yugi's hair.

Yugi smiled as he walked into the other room, leaving Atemu alone in his thoughts. Atemu silently followed Yugi and waited until the boy was asleep. He then went back to the kitchen and slumped on a chair, leaning forward and placing his head in his hands.

"We can't keep living like this. I can't let Yugi live like this," Atemu thought as tears formed in his eyes. Today had been an unusually fortunate day, since Yugi had not been bullied by anyone; but normally, the boy would suffer some form of harassment from people who had nothing useful to do. Jono and Atemu, especially, had tried to always protect him, but there were times when the enemy was just too powerful, and they would get beaten up. And all because Yugi was small for his age and physically weak! Atemu hissed in exasperation at the shallow-mindedness of some people.

Atemu tried to console himself with the fact that his brother was, deep inside, much stronger than he looked, managing to stave off his troubles and promptly recovering from whatever had hurt him; but he knew it was still not enough. They lived in a world where physical strength was a requisite, where bodily weakness was a road to suffering and death. Atemu shuddered. He had always kept in mind that Yugi was very malnourished and easily got sick as a consequence; and that was why he always insisted on giving the boy more food. Atemu didn't care about himself, but cared for Yugi so much that many times he had starved himself just so Yugi would have enough to eat.

He recalled all of the times he had tried to protect Yugi from being bullied, and the tears flooded his eyes and cheeks. How much longer could he protect his little brother? Atemu felt himself getting weaker by the day, and would often black out; of course, he was careful not to let Yugi know about it.

In efforts to maintain Yugi's optimism, Atemu had tried to keep smiling, tried to mask the horrible secrets that lay locked in his head. The darkest was of an occurrence not too long ago, when a crazed street thug happened upon the two brothers late one night when they were on their way home. The man was clutching a dagger in hand, threatening to kill them if they didn't give him their money. Atemu had promptly obliged, giving up the day's earnings to the hoodlum. But the man was not satisfied. He glared at Yugi, a predatory grin on his face. Atemu hated the look in the man's eyes. It was as if he had wanted to devour the boy that instant.

The man licked his lips. Atemu swallowed in nervousness.

"Cute boy we have here, eh?" the thug slurred, a pungent drugged odor coming out of his mouth. "You know, I like you. I like little boys a lot, especially when they're young and clean and _tight_, like you. I think the two of us can be friends. Wanna come with me and play?" He gestured for Yugi to come closer, but the young boy had stepped back, remaining at his brother's side.

The man stomped in anger. Yugi yelped, but still remained at his brother's side. Atemu embraced his brother protectively.

"No one says no to me!" the man roared loudly. He ran to grab Yugi. The two brothers, caught in a corner, had nowhere to go. Atemu quickly ran his eyes over the thug. All he saw were strong hard muscles and ferocious-looking eyes. The man was obviously strong, and neither of them would stand a chance against him. Atemu examined the option of letting Yugi run for it while he distracted the thug… but no, the only available pathway was blocked by the man. Which would mean allowing Yugi to come closer to the thug… _No way! _Atemu shivered at how close he had come to delivering his brother to the enemy's hands.

There was only one thing left to do. It would be a desperate move, but--

Atemu knocked his brother out. With a sharp, yet carefully delivered, blow to the back of the neck, Yugi fell unconscious in Atemu's arms.

_I'm sorry, Yugi, but I have to do this._

The man was inching closer. Atemu placed his brother on a safe spot, lunged for the hoodlum, and fought as hard as he could. But the man was far stronger; and what happened next was something Atemu had wanted so much to forget. The memory swirled like bitter oil in his mind and he began to feel nauseous.

The man had pinned him to the ground, undressed him against his will. Atemu struggled, but he was met with blow after blow to his body. He had even coughed blood. He looked up at his aggressor, stared at the demonic eyes that were wide with victory. _Damn you_, he had wanted to say, along with a thousand other curses, but he couldn't. His words were stuck in his throat. And then came the pain. Sharp and searing, tearing, invading his body… Destroying him. Tainting his soul with the mark of this hateful man, a mark that may never be removed till the day he died. He had lost. _Oh Ra_, he had lost.

Atemu ran out of the house and heaved. The contents of his stomach poured to the ground until there was nothing left to throw up. He tapped his abdomen, wincing at its emptiness.

The scenes began to continue before his eyes. He roughly shook his head. The memory simply refused to leave--

And when the man was done with him, and had left, Atemu had remained on the ground, too shocked and too pained to move. He had wanted to stay there and wait for death to claim him. But then, he remembered Yugi, and he promptly sat up, his heart briefly paused in fearful anticipation. He looked at his brother. The boy was still clean, fully dressed, shining with the same immaculate aura that he had always possessed. Still innocent, still untouched; and Atemu inferred that the man had been satisfied with their encounter, leaving Yugi alone; and he murmured a prayer in gratitude. He was even doubly grateful, for Yugi had remained unconscious, and had not seen how shamed his brother had become.

Atemu quickly stood, cleaned himself up and carried Yugi home before the boy could wake up. Later on, he had to lie and smile and assure Yugi that everything had gone well. Of course, the boy had trusted him to tell the truth, and he easily believed.

Atemu sighed, shook off the vision from his head, stood and walked into his and Yugi's room. He sat on the mattress on the floor and leaned over to give Yugi a kiss on the cheek.

"One day, we won't have to live like this anymore. I promise you, young one, I will do whatever it takes to give us a better life," he whispered as he rested a hand on Yugi's shoulder, letting one tear fall before he eventually lay down and drifted off to sleep.

_(to be continued)_

* * *

_Yami Val: I have read many fan fics before starting on my own. I do have a thing for angst and depressing stories. Tragedy is one of the things I think I do best, personally. Some may call it morbid, but it is what I am good at. With my first two stories I was thinking of stopping there, but scarlet wax petal sent me a very inspiring letter. I felt very appreciative and humbled by her kind words and that I had inspired her to start writing again so I continued and now have five stories written. Once I read her story Contemplations in the Afterlife I fell in love with the detail and the way she helped you understand the characters a little better. So I asked her to write this story with me and even though my name may be first she did so much for this story and gave it the detail I could never do._

_scarlet wax petal: This is the first collaborative fic between Yami Val and me. I have always loved her sense of the characters' humanity and emotions, and I was really elated when she suggested that we work on a fanfic together. Here's an FYI: I wouldn't be a Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction writer if I hadn't come across her works. I have been in the fandom months before I began to write for it, and was satisfied with merely reading other people's works. With hers, it was different. Her stories inspired me to write again, after long years of dormancy from the fiction-writing (both in fanfic and original) world. :) So if you hate me or my stories, and wish I never had the guts to write, blame her! (insert evil laughter here) Kidding, Val!_


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

Before Ra even graced the day with his presence, a young man was already up and awake, blankly staring at the stars that slowly dimmed as the dawn bore on. His gaze soon swept over tiny and tinier cubes from where he stood, at the highest balcony of his residence; and what appeared as sandy yellow boxes were actually mud houses in the distant villages. The villages covered a huge area; and even now, its size had continued to awe him. But that wasn't all of it. Beyond what he could see, he knew there was even more.

And he ruled over all these, for he was Pharaoh, decreed by the gods to wield absolute power over Upper and Lower Egypt. He chilled and shuddered at its gravity.

If only his power were truly absolute that it would ease the emptiness he felt inside! But, the way things were, it wasn't so. Despite having the most talented servants at his beck and call, despite having the wealth of a nation at his disposal, despite having the authority to manipulate the destinies of men… despite having everything as everything was traditionally defined, he still wasn't satisfied.

He was alone in the balcony. He had to bear the stabbing cold winds of the desert dawn all by himself. Though the Pharaoh had grown stronger over the years, deeply he desired for someone to provide him with warmth in the midst of the brutal desert weather. He wanted someone whom he could confide with, and find consolation in, and cherish as the one who had eased his emptiness by making him whole.

The Pharaoh was, by now, of marriageable age. Upon his advisers' recommendation, the Pharaoh had allowed kings and sultans to present their most beautiful daughters, hoping that from among them he would find the one he was looking for. But it was in vain. None of the princesses came close to what the Pharaoh was looking for. They greatly reminded him of his servants -- submissive and soft-spoken. Some of his advisers complained behind his back that the Pharaoh's standards were far too stringent. When word of this had reached the Pharaoh, he was simply annoyed.

"I already have hundreds of housemaids. I don't need another," he had commented dryly.

What he wanted was someone special. Not just another person who would say "yes" to his every whim. No, he wanted someone who would truly share a life with him. Deep behind the façade of coldness that he had often portrayed, the Pharaoh wanted someone to care for, someone who would _truly_ care for him in return… not just as the Pharaoh, but as a human being.

Things would be much easier for Seth (for that was the Pharaoh's name… a name that was unknown to most below him, and unpronounced by those who knew, for fear of death) now that his father was dead. The former Pharaoh Akhenaden had scoffed at the idea of love, saying that it was a sign of weakness, a worm that wastes away the mind, turning geniuses into fools. As such, the older Pharaoh had never shown his son any love.

_If he had even loved me_, Seth thought, cringing at the memory of his father.

The Pharaoh Akhenaden had been a very cruel ruler, as far as Seth remembered. There were nights when the young then-prince would be in this same balcony, watching in horror as the sandy yellow villages disappeared in hot blazing flames; listening in shock as the winds carried him the wretched cries of men, women and children begging for their lives to be spared… before being mercilessly butchered by the Pharaoh's sadistic agents. These would happen many times, and often Seth would wonder how Egypt had still managed to stand. More importantly, the Pharaoh had always insisted that his son stand to watch what was going on, as though giving him a lesson on how to run a country.

As a father and a mentor, Akhenaden was even worse. Life as his son, or as his slave as Seth considered it, had been a living hell…

"You imbecile! How dare you call yourself my only son and heir? No son of mine is as stupid as you, you pathetic fucked-up little twerp!"

Those were the only words that Seth would ever remember from his father… and the prince might have believed had he not known any better himself. He had always been a precocious child -- a genius in various fields, surpassing many seasoned scribes and scholars of his time. It was a fact that he knew perfectly well, even without reassurance, and he took tremendous pride in it. At first he had thought that his father, too, would be proud; but then…

The Pharaoh had wanted his only son to be nothing short of perfect. This fact was made clear to Seth when the boy began taking formal lessons in the pure sciences, engineering, political affairs, philosophy and culture. Each learning session had entailed hours of poring over yards of scrolls, with barely enough time to eat, and definitely no time to play. Between sessions, Seth would be trained in the athletics and the art of warfare; after which he would be tasked to return to his study, to once again read through several documents and manuscripts. It was such an exhausting routine that, at the end of the day, the prince would often fall asleep in his study… only to be awakened the next morning and be subjected to the same vicious cycle again.

It had come as a shock when Seth, tired from endless studying, committed a slight error in his calculations. His father was infuriated.

"You imbecile!" The Pharaoh brutally grasped the young prince by the arm. Seth had yelped in pain.

He was forced to face his father and stared into those large livid eyes. "How dare you call yourself my only son and heir?" the man before him bellowed.

And then, before the prince had time to react, the Pharaoh had raised a hand and smacked him hard across the face. For a long moment, Seth had stared blankly into space, very stunned. It was the first time he had ever been slapped… and it was to be the first among many.

"No son of mine is as stupid as you, you pathetic fucked-up little twerp!" And then more slaps, more punches, more kicks and lashings… too many to count, too many to remember individually. Only a huge murky blur, the silent movement of his father's lips, the taste of blood in his mouth, the pain… He had only been seven; he should have been out in the sun, running and swimming in the palace yard. But here he was, enduring his father's brutality. And he was _the_ heir to the throne! Why did he have to go through this? He couldn't understand.

When he was done, Akhenaden had carelessly flung the young prince to one corner of the room before stomping away in a furious huff. For the entire evening, the traumatized boy had stayed in that corner, bearing the biting pain of his wounds and the echo of his father's sharp words in his ear. And he was alone, had no one to run to… no one to stay with him as he shivered and sobbed in the dimming candlelight. Greatly hardened in the process, Seth would shed no more tears to the time of this speaking.

From that day on, Seth had hated his father. The sight of burning villages, the screams of the people, the slaps and lashings, the insults… Those were the only memories Seth had of his father. And he swore that on the day he assumed the throne, he would wipe away Akhenaden's evil legacy and lead the nation down the road of progress.

He didn't have to wait long. Akhenaden was soon dead. Seth had glowered at the body as it was taken for interment. He hated his father even more; he was only nine, and suddenly, he had the responsibility of leading and rebuilding a nation ruined by his father's brutality. He should have been granted more time -- perhaps another two years -- to prepare.

_Coward! Leaving me to clean up after your spoils! _Seth had gritted during his father's funeral. And he never forgave his father. In retrospect, he might have, had Akhenaden died in another manner -- a disease, or even murder… But no, the bastard had chosen the easy way out.

And now Seth was Pharaoh. Though it had been difficult, in a few years, he had revived Egypt into a land of peace and harmony, of growth and progress. He was, at the age of twelve, even able to deal aptly with a plague that had destroyed a village six years ago. And now, the fields were once again flourishing, the river Nile abundant with fish, the people alive and happy.

But was he happy? Was _he_, the Pharaoh, content?

The chilly desert winds beat on his skin again. And he remembered that he was alone.

He closed his eyes and shook away the memory of the past. After one last glance at his territory, he turned his back and returned to his bedroom.

The day was about to start, and he had to get ready. He put on his long white sleeveless tunic, lined with a gold trim, followed by a gold wrap that went around his waist. He then wore a large gold ankh pendant that hung to the middle of his chest. Next came his cape, the color of which matched his deep sapphire eyes. Finally, he donned his dark blue headdress. On its center was the eye of Horus.

He stood straighter and looked at his reflection on the mirror. Wide gold bands encircled his biceps while golden cuffs covered his wrists. A gold ankh earring hung from each of his earlobes. He raised an eyebrow at his reflection, scrutinizing it, making sure that everything was perfectly in place. When he was satisfied, he walked over to where he kept his scepter, the Sennen Rod.

As he picked up the Rod and hung it at his hip, his eyes came upon the Sennen Puzzle, locked in a solitary glass casket in his room. It had been kept there for as long as he could remember, its power untapped, untamed… No one, not even the Pharaoh, had ever dared come near the Puzzle, for they knew what it could do, and knew that it was wise to stay away.

Seth himself had a glimpse of its power, once, when he was still a young boy. The Sennen items had just been brought to the palace, and Akhenaden, the greedy power-hungry man that he was, had reached for the Puzzle. He didn't heed the warnings of his men, that the priests he had ordered to create the items had either died or gone mad upon touching the Puzzle… and that he, the Pharaoh, was already chosen by the Sennen Eye and thus couldn't possibly possess another item.

"I don't want the power to see the past. It's useless!" Akhenaden had growled angrily. "I am Pharaoh! The Sennen Puzzle is mine, mine, mine!" And before Seth could react, his father had grabbed the Puzzle… and screamed in pain, and blasphemed the gods like a madman…

And then he was dead, his own dagger buried in his chest. Seth immediately became Pharaoh. The Sennen Rod had chosen him as its wielder; and to this day, it had remained faithful to him, aiding him in his task of keeping Egypt safe.

But what of the Puzzle? The other items, even the Sennen Eye, now had their owners among his priests. Only the Puzzle had remained hostile, and had to be locked away. Even so, the task of caging its power had resulted in the deaths of some of his craftsmen, but… _sacrifices had to be made, or more would have died_, Seth would often think to himself whenever he remembered the lives lost, as if it would ease his conscience, as if it would console the widows and orphans of those craftsmen…

He hated that part of his job.

Seth stared at the Puzzle curiously. _Who could possibly wield your power? _he silently asked. The thought of its untamed power further made him want to find its owner. Why, having the power of the Sennen Puzzle on his side would be of great help in protecting the nation! It would be for the good of the land, and the good of its people… and maybe, just maybe, the owner of the Puzzle would turn out to be his rightful partner, the one that his heart had been seeking! After all, the Sennen Puzzle and the Sennen Rod are the two most powerful items--

Seth shook his head and grunted a low, sad laugh, knowing that he had been lying to himself.

_Face it, Seth_, he sighed, as he turned and walked out of his chambers. _You want to find its owner because you want the power of the Sennen Puzzle for yourself. And you desire power because you, Seth, are son of Akhenaden… no matter how much you deny it._

Furthermore, as much as he hated to admit it, he feared whoever would be so powerful to handle the Sennen Puzzle. It had struck him so much that he had delayed his quest, had tried to deny its owner's existence. For now… he had other matters to attend to.

As he made his way to the throne room, he already saw that his priests were already at their posts. Idly, Seth wondered if his advisors ever went to sleep.

"Mahado, Shada… you two will accompany me to Heliopolis today."

"Yes, Pharaoh," they said in unison as they bowed.

"Great Pharaoh," Siamun said, "the festival in honor of the god Osiris is coming soon. With all due respect… the plans would have to be tackled by your Highness soon."

"I know that, but it is not for another two full moons. Certainly, there are other matters for me to take care of," Seth replied as he looked at his minister.

"Yes, of course. But, your Highness," Siamun continued, a tinge of protest in his voice, "the quest in Heliopolis has been fruitless so far, and I was wondering--"

"That issue is none of your business!" Seth snapped impatiently. "That is mine, and mine alone, to decide."

"Ah, yes, my Lord," Siamun recoiled, his voice shaking. And then, humbly, he said, "A thousand pardons, great Pharaoh. Do unto me as you see befitting my insolence."

Seth touched his own forehead and shook his head in frustration. "Forgiven," he gently told his minister. "I hope this does not happen again." Siamun nodded and slowly walked backwards.

"I see nothing wrong with the Pharaoh leaving, Siamun. It is good for him to be among his people," Isis said with a slight smile, her green eyes shimmering calmly. Seth nodded as his sight passed over the genteel young priestess, who bowed reverently as the Pharaoh proceeded to leave with Mahado and Shada.

Once they were out of sight, Siamun turned to the priestess. "Isis… you, the bearer of the Sennen Tauk, could have easily stopped the Pharaoh from going to Heliopolis. Why didn't you? There are more important things to be done! Or do you agree with his foolish actions?"

"Watch your tongue, Siamun, lest you part with it," Isis remarked sharply as she glared at the minister. Siamun gulped nervously. "You have no right to question the Pharaoh's actions," she continued, as she closed her eyes contemplatively. "The Lord has done greatly for you, and for this nation. You owe him more than what you can ever offer, and all that you can offer is your loyalty."

"But Heliopolis--"

"Your impatience surprises me, Siamun." Isis framed the Tauk with her hands. "Today shows a great promise." A sly smile formed on her lips, and Siamun understood, calming down.

"So you had another vision…"

"Precisely." And Isis walked off into the temple to pray to the gods.

Seth, Mahado and Shada rode through Heliopolis as the people were coming out of their homes to begin the day. Some were opening their shops, while others were heading for the Nile to farm and fish. Many young children, apparently fascinated by the pomp and glamour, had run to the Pharaoh, offering him gifts of fruit and flowers. Their mothers, apprehensive and fearful for their children's sake, had wanted to pull the youngsters away… but upon seeing the warm accommodating smile on the Pharaoh's face, their fears were immediately allayed. Seth had accepted the little gifts, and even carried some of the children for a moment on horseback.

_No, he wasn't a cold-hearted Pharaoh. True, he can be fierce on the battlefield, and harsh in the judicial courts, but to his people he was nurturing and compassionate. He wasn't a cold-hearted Pharaoh. He wasn't anything like his father… well, was he? Was he?_

He wasn't certain.

He silently sighed to himself as he continued to ride, hoping that what he was looking for, whatever it was, would finally catch his eye. He may be patient… but he had to agree with Siamun that the many trips to Heliopolis had been fruitless, and he was starting to get frustrated.

And yet, he kept being drawn to Heliopolis, over and over again… only to end the day empty-handed. So… _why?_

_Perhaps the gods were punishing him for Akhenaden's crimes? Crimes that he had inherited as that wretched bastard's son!_

Seth seemed to never run out of reasons to hate his father. His mind now looked back at the many nights that he had spent alone in his palace balcony, in the midst of cold desert winds… and, once again, he damned Akhenaden's blood, the same tainted blood that flowed through his veins, that he may live to suffer, to pay for his father's innumerable sins. By himself. Forever.

Meanwhile…

"Yugi! Hurry up! The sun has already risen!" Atemu called to his little brother as he rattled both of their toolboxes.

"Coming, Temu!" Yugi rushed from the bedroom, grabbed his toolbox from his brother's hand and ran out the door. Atemu quickly followed, and was soon leading the way.

Yugi suddenly stopped in his tracks, and gripped his brother's clothing. "Temu--"

Atemu turned to his brother. "What is it, Yugi?"

"Look!" Yugi exclaimed excitedly as he pointed. "Isn't that the Pharaoh?"

Atemu turned to look at where Yugi was pointing. He easily noticed a parade of robust brown horses, led by an even grander, more beautiful white stallion. And upon that horse was a tall lean man exquisitely garbed in white, gold and blue -- no doubt the Pharaoh.

"Yes, little one, it is," Atemu replied.

"Can we get a closer look?"

"No, we need to be heading toward the temple. We have to finish the murals soon."

The two brothers had been commissioned to paint the newest temple. It had meant months of steady income for them, and Atemu had been thoroughly pleased -- not only with how much they had earned, but also with the quality of their output. He wondered that if the priests became impressed enough with their work, then he and Yugi may obtain more work in the future. The thought made him smile.

No way was he letting go of this opportunity just to watch the Pharaoh.

Yugi sighed, but soon obliged. Atemu and Yugi quickly eased their way through the riveted crowd, not noticing a pair of deep sapphire eyes following their every move…

When they had reached the temple, Yugi and Atemu scrambled onto the scaffolds, one on either side of the hall. Yugi painted the sun and day sky as a tribute to Ra, while Atemu painted the moon and night sky as a tribute to Thoth.

During the season of Akhet, they had finished the floor, a tribute to Geb. It was of the land, and painted mostly in matte earth tones. It highlighted the three seasons: Akhet, when the Nile flooded the valleys and made the soil fertile; Peret, when the farmers planted the crops; and Shomu, when the crops were harvested before the onset of dry season. At its two sides were the two distinct halves of a day: the light, as painted by Yugi, and the darkness, as painted by Atemu.

"I can't believe it! It is just the middle of Peret and we'll already be finished with this mural tonight," Yugi sighed as he shaded some orange to the yellow sun.

"Yes. It's kind of sad, if you ask me," Atemu uttered as he added some dark blue to the moon.

After almost a full day of painting, Atemu and Yugi stood on the floor, looking up at their work. They were both greatly impressed by what they had accomplished between them, and quite saddened that they were about to leave after more than two seasons of working on it.

"Temu, I like how you made the day fade into night with the dark and light purple shading," Yugi smiled fondly up at his older brother.

"It is a nice touch, isn't it?" Atemu returned the smile.

"It is, indeed."

The voice from behind them was deep, masculine and ominous, making a sharp tingle of fear run down the brothers' backs. For a moment, Atemu recalled the tragedies of the past and he shuddered, instinctively clasping Yugi's hand in his. Both brothers stood where they were, unable to move.

"The scenes are beautiful, absolutely breathtaking," the voice continued.

Atemu could feel his brother's arm trembling as he held it, compelling him to swallow his own fear. His own heart was beating wildly in his chest, and his breathing strenuous… but he knew he must have courage, for both him and his brother.

"Yugi…" he whispered.

"Temu…" Yugi's voice was soft and shrill. He seemed like he was about to cry.

"On my signal," Atemu replied through his gasps, "let's turn, and then you run--"

"But, Temu--"

"Just do it!" he snapped. Yugi nodded hesitantly. Atemu continued: "Okay. On three. One… two… three!"

And the brothers whirled around, and found themselves face to face with…

"The Pharaoh!" they gasped in chorus. And then, remembering themselves, the two brothers quickly bowed before their Lord.

Yugi apologized at once: "Ah, forgive us! We didn't mean to be rude! We--"

"The paintings are of a fine quality," the Pharaoh said, cutting him off.

Yugi breathed in surprise. _The Pharaoh, saying that their paintings were of a fine quality?_ He was instantly filled with happiness! "Oh, thank you, sir!" he managed to squeak, unable to hide his excitement. Actually, he was so nervous, meeting the Pharaoh at a time like this, that he felt unable to think clearly. He promptly decided to just clam up and let his brother do all the talking.

"Did you make these paintings yourselves, young men?" the Pharaoh continued to ask.

"Yes, we did, my Lord," Atemu replied, more calmly than his brother.

The Pharaoh walked past them and approached the murals. He moved from one wall to another, as he carefully scrutinized the artwork.

"Where did you learn to do this?" he finally inquired.

"An elderly woman who took us in taught us the basics of painting, but most of what we know we have learned from experience," Atemu answered.

Seth nodded, murmuring a word of affirmation. He continued to examine the murals. From where they were, Yugi was thrilled to know that the Pharaoh appreciated their work. On the other hand, Atemu was getting quite impatient. He wanted to see just what exactly the Pharaoh was doing. Overcome by curiosity, he raised his head. The young man couldn't help but beam in pride knowing that the Pharaoh -- of all citizens of Egypt! -- had found their paintings beautiful!

Atemu stood transfixed as he watched the monarch go from one masterpiece to another. His sight went back and forth from the painting, to the Pharaoh, to the painting, to the Pharaoh, to the Pharaoh, to the Pharaoh--

And then, without warning, the Pharaoh turned back to the brothers… and was greatly surprised to find one of them standing straight in his presence. It was unlike a commoner to do so; it was actually the first time for him to witness such an act from a person of low social status. Furthermore, this particular commoner had the gall to watch him! And to stare into his gaze! The young man had deep soulful eyes the color of blood, and he wondered… what kind of spirit lay beneath those eyes?

For once in his life, he was speechless before a commoner. A commoner who held himself as though he were royalty; who challenged him, the Pharaoh, as though they were equals!

But instead of getting angry -- which quite surprised him -- Seth had become interested in the young man. His sight then slid from the face, down to the body… and he stared, just stared, at the man's lithe form and briefly thought of how hot and firm this body would be pressed against his--

Seth quickly shook the vision off his head, greatly startled that he had thought of it at all. Even during his years of physical development, he had not taken interest in such things, having been too busy reviving Egypt to its prosperous state.

Momentarily, he wondered if the commoner before him was no mere mortal, but actually a god in disguise. He raised an eyebrow at how ridiculous that was; nonetheless, he remained interested in the young painter, who definitely had him impressed.

Finally, Seth found his voice. "What is your name?"

Atemu was taken back by the question. _Why did the Pharaoh care to know his name?_

"Atemu, sir," he replied, "and this is my brother, Yugi."

Yugi had kept his eyes upon the floor. Atemu, on the other hand, had not bothered to bow again. _Perhaps he had forgotten_, Seth thought, _or maybe he is doing this intentionally._ The thought aroused Seth's interest even more.

From where he was, Yugi stole a glance at Atemu, and was shocked to find his brother looking at the Pharaoh's eyes. As far as he knew, from what their foster mother had once told them, staring straight into the Pharaoh's eyes was a crime punishable by death. A number of their foster mother's friends and acquaintances had met their doom many years ago because of this crime… though as far as Yugi could remember, from the time he had come to Heliopolis, no one was ever punished because of this crime. So, was his brother to be the first in a very long time? The possibility scared Yugi so much. He greatly admired his brother, for being strong, brave, often fearless… though he also wished he weren't so reckless at times. Especially _this_ time.

His brother had always been there for him, and for that he was grateful. He would never want to lose his brother, and especially not for this reason… no way!

As Seth stepped closer, Yugi quickly elbowed his brother on the side. Atemu was immediately roused, and realized that he had been continuously, absentmindedly looking straight into the Pharaoh's eyes. Big mistake. _Oh Ra…_ He began to turn his brother's way…

But it was too late. The Pharaoh had placed a hand under Atemu's chin, holding it firmly in place. The Pharaoh and the commoner now stared into each other's eyes. Atemu saw how deep blue, like an early morning sky, the Pharaoh's eyes were.

_There is no turning back now… _And Atemu held his pride.

"You do know that to look me in the eyes is punishable by death, don't you?" the Pharaoh said, a hint of menace in his voice.

When Atemu didn't respond, and merely allowed his eyes to narrow, Seth smirked. "That was very disrespectful of you, my dear… Atemu." There was a tone of darkness in the Pharaoh's words. Atemu swallowed, but refused to give in.

"I mean no dishonor, my Pharaoh," he finally said, "but I never look at anybody with eyes downcast. You can tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes." And Atemu returned the smirk, feeling himself regain his confidence.

Yugi grabbed Atemu's hand and squeezed as he inched behind his brother.

Seth was greatly amused by how straightforwardly this peasant had responded. His lips curved into a light smile. "Oh, and may I ask what you see when you look into my eyes?" he questioned, not letting go of Atemu's chin.

Atemu looked deeply into those dark blue eyes, and took in as much of the Pharaoh as he could see, and suppressed his breath. _The Pharaoh is absolutely gorgeous_, he thought to himself, though he wondered if he would ever have the courage, or the audacity, to say that loudly to a living god.

He inhaled deeply, and gave his reply: "I see someone who is commanding, strong, brave and arrogant."

Seth narrowed his eyes. He had ignored the first three descriptions, having been used to hearing those words said to him. But… _arrogant?_ No one has ever called him arrogant, not even his priests, nor his own father. And now this peasant boy had described him as such! _How dare this commoner call him arrogant… even though it was true?_

"And you are fair and just, and nothing like your father," Atemu continued. He had been old enough to remember the cruelties of the former Pharaoh, and had certainly not witnessed those kinds of brutalities in the hands of _this_ Pharaoh.

Seth finally let go of Atemu's chin and looked at the man. This was another first. No one had ever described his father, the former Pharaoh, negatively, at least to his face. Well, at least, Atemu had said that he was nothing like his father, and he deeply appreciated that comment.

Though Atemu could feel Yugi squeezing his hand harder, he never let his gaze falter from the Pharaoh.

_You are nothing like your father. _Seth felt very much relieved that Atemu had thought so… wait, was he obtaining reassurance from a peasant boy? He was actually shocked that the commoner had so much nerve to speak to him like that! He was about to say something to Atemu when Mahado and Shada entered the temple.

"Great Pharaoh, we should be heading back to the palace," Mahado said as he bowed.

"Hn," was all that Seth voiced as he walked past Yugi and Atemu.

The Pharaoh took one more glance at the two brothers before finally mounting his horse and leading his men to the palace. Though he had remained calm throughout the journey, he found that he couldn't brush the gaze of the crimson-eyed commoner off his mind.

_This is going to be a long, long night…_ he muttered to himself. Above him, the stars twinkled brighter as the evening bore on.

_(to be continued)_


	4. Chapter 3

Finally the next chapter!! Whoo-Hoo!! Sorry it took me so long, but couldn't find the inspiration to write this until a certain author gave me some wonderful ideas that got my brain turning again!!

So I want to thank **Toxic Hathor** without her help I may have given up on this fic.

I hope you all enjoy!!

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

Chapter Three

Yugi stood completely shocked at how his brother had acted toward the Pharaoh and was looking up Atemu with wide amethyst eyes. He feared that the Pharaoh would come in the night and take him away and kill him. Tears began to form in the youths eyes as the image of his brother being tortured by the Pharaoh flooded his thoughts.

Atemu didn't notice Yugi as he continued to stand with his head held high as he watched the Pharaoh and his Priests ride off. He would not bow or respect anyone who did not earn it and the Pharaoh was no different.

"Temu what were you thinking?! You never look upon the Pharaoh unless he gives you permission! You just…you could be put to death!" Yugi screamed shear panic in his cracking voice.

Atemu looked down at his brother and saw that there was worry in his young amethyst eyes. He knelt down and placed his hands on Yugi's shoulders and began to rub trying to calm the shaking boy before him.

"Little one you know I have always looked people in the eyes regardless of age or position. If the Pharaoh was going to sentence me to death then he would have done so already." Atemu said gently as though seeing Yugi's thoughts.

"But…but what if he comes back for you?" Yugi could feel the hot tears begin to fall from his eyes as the images of Atemu being tortured still haunted his soul.

"Then we will deal with that when the time comes." Atemu smiled as he wiped the tears form Yugi's cheeks and gently placed a kiss on his forehead.

Atemu noticed that the protective rays of Ra was now leaving the day and decided it would be wise to leave. "Now let's go home."

After they collected all of their supplies and placed them in their respected toolboxes it was now well into the evening and the darkness slowly started to devour the daylight.

The walk home was uneventful, but none the less Atemu kept a sharp eye out for any one who would threaten them, especially the Pharaoh's guards. He would never allow himself to speak his thoughts to Yugi, but he too worried that by looking the Pharaoh, a living god, in the eyes would surely be his death sentence.

Every shadow that loomed on the sides of the houses and walls caused Yugi to squeeze his brothers hand, causing the latter to flinch for fear that someone was following them. The odd patters were causing Atemu to be a little on edge and every time they came to a corner he would place Yugi behind him making sure that his brother had a fair chance to escape incase anyone was standing, waiting for them.

They finally made it home and that night it seemed to take forever. Atemu looked around for any food and saw that there was only some bread left and water. He sighed as he bowed his head. He was starving, but Yugi came first in his mind. He always had and so he decided despite the pain in his own stomach that he would give the last bit of food to his little brother.

He smiled as he placed the bread and water in front of Yugi. "Here you are little one."

Yugi looked at Atemu and noticed that all he had on his side of the table was a cup of water. He halved the small piece of bread on his plate and held it out for Atemu to take it. "Temu, please you have to eat something."

"I am not hungry little one." Atemu lied.

"You have to be? You have not eaten much in a week." Yugi said holding the piece of bread toward his brother.

"Yugi do not argue with me." Atemu said in a stern voice as he sat back crossing his arms looking at his brother through narrowed crimson eyes.

With a look of defeat in his eyes, Yugi took a small bite out of the bread he had previously been holding out for Atemu.

The elder brother smirked as he took a sip of his water.

After dinner Atemu looked across the table and saw that Yugi's head was slowly lowering, but he would abruptly raise it. He gave a small smile and chuckled as he looked at his little brother. For Yugi was the only joy he had in his life.

"What are you laughing about Temu?"

Atemu's smile only grew wider at the innocent look his brother was giving him. He shook his head, tri-colored locks swaying as he did so. "It is about time you went to bed. Come I will tuck you in."

Atemu stood and extended a hand. Yugi hopped of the chair, since he still could not touch the floor when he sat and grabbed a hold of his older brothers' hand.

After Yugi had went to bed Atemu waited to hear the soft snores showing that sleep had claimed his brother he slowly stood and walked outside. He sat on a stone bench and looked up at the night sky and saw that there was no moon tonight only the stars graced the sky. He sighed as he closed his eyes wishing for sleep, but that never came easy for him any more.

Atemu opened his eyes wishing that his and Yugi's life had been different and he never had to move here. None of this would have ever happened if the plague had not wiped out his whole village. He leaned back on the stone bench and sighed as he prayed to any of the Gods that would hear him. He prayed that Yugi and he would soon be free of this hell they were placed in.

* * *

Seth lie in his chambers trying his best to fall asleep, but a pair of haunting crimson orbs kept him from getting any rest. No matter how he tried he could not get the peasant out of his mind. He had never met anyone before that could hold him in such a trance and it disturbed him.

To be named Atemu after the mythical great god of Annu meant that he must be a strong willed person. He was intriguing. Everything about him seemed to demand respect. That was one thing that Seth realized very quickly, but as Pharaoh he did not have to respect anyone.

Seth turned over and saw the Puzzle sitting silently behind the crystal prison it had been placed in. One thought did cross his mind as he looked at the Eye of Horus that was etched in the golden item

Could this man be what he had been searching for? Could he unlock the secrets of the Sennen Puzzle? If not no one would miss a commoner.

Seth opened his eyes shaking his head trying to rid his mind of the thoughts. This man could not possibly be the key to unlocking such secrets. More powerful and prominent men had fallen due to the power of the item and certainly no God would grant such a power to a peasant.

The Pharaoh growled as he stood since sleep was evading him and walked out onto his balcony and looked up at the moonless sky.

"Have I displeased the Gods? Why are you plaguing me with thoughts of this man?" Seth clenched his fists and clenched his teeth as he waited for some sign he had been heard.

He waited, but when he received no answer to his question slowly turned and walked back into his room. He slowly sat down on the bed and placed his elbows on his knees looking about the room. Without a second thought he looked over at the Puzzle that was entombed by crystal and again thoughts of a certain crimson eyed man flooded his mind.

Then a sinister smirk came to his lips. He let out a chuckle as he lied back on his bed. Atemu, for that was not a name so easily forgotten, would be his. He would use him to try and break the curse of the item that held much blood and death.

* * *

Yugi awoke the next morning and found that Atemu was not asleep next to him. Panic ran through his body as he stood and ran out of the room.

He calmed as he found Atemu with his head in his arms asleep at the table. Yugi walked over and ran a hand through Atemu's hair. He was grateful to have such a wonderful and loving brother.

He smiled as he walked outside and was greeted by Jono.

"Yuge!" Jono waved as he saw Yugi.

"Hello Jono what are you doing today?"

"Not much and you?"

"Nothing, Temu and I do not have a job to do so I was planning on relaxing." Yugi smiled.

"Where is Atemu?" Jono looked around Yugi.

"He is still asleep."

"Rough night?"

"I'm not sure I went to bed early since I was so tired."

Jono was about to say something when both him and Yugi turned to see horses riding up to them. Yugi slid behind Jono as his eyes went wider than normal.

"It is the…Pharaoh." Was all Yugi could say as he looked at the men riding toward them.

Last nights events replayed in his mind as he looked at Jono who looked at him and then back to the Pharaoh. Yugi was now really worried. The Pharaoh never made trips out into the town and two days in a row could not be good.

The Pharaoh stopped his horse right in front of Yugi and Jono and looked down at the two. "Where is Atemu?"

Yugi feared for his brothers life said the first thing that came to mind. "I don't know."

Seth frowned as he looked at Yugi. "Don't lie to me boy, where is your brother?"

"I said I do not know!" Yugi yelled and as soon as he did that he placed his hands over his mouth.

"You ungrateful street rat, never speak to the Pharaoh in that manner!" Shada said as he got off his horse and grabbed Yugi by the shirt.

"No let me go!" Yugi yelled as he tried to pull out of Shada's grasp.

"Not until you tell the Pharaoh what he wants to know!" Shada yelled.

"No I don't want Temu to be hurt!" Yugi yelled.

This made Shada so angry that he slapped Yugi hard across the face sending him to the ground. He was about to walk over and pick Yugi up when he sopped at the sound of an angry yet worried voice.

"Yugi!"

Everyone turned to see a man that looked similar to Yugi kneel down beside his brother.

"Yugi are you alright? Did they hurt you?" Atemu said as he looked at the red mark on Yugi's cheek.

"N-no, but you shouldn't have c-come out t-the Pharaoh wants y-you." Yugi stuttered as he looked up at his brother.

Atemu turned to see the Pharaoh and his Priests and guards and knew that this wasn't going to be a good thing for Yugi to see. He turned to Jono and looked into honey eyes.

"Take Yugi and get him out of here. I don't care where you take him just make sure he is safe." Atemu ordered his friend.

"But Atemu…" Jono was cut off by Atemu's stern voice.

"Jono just do as I say." Atemu glared at him.

"Alright, come on Yuge."

"No I want to stay with Temu!" Yugi said as he lunged toward his brother.

"Yugi just go!" Atemu ordered as he looked at his brother with narrowed eyes.

Yugi looked at his brother and saw that he was dead serious so he let Jono lead him away.

Atemu turned toward the Pharaoh and his Priests. "So what did you want with me and why did you harm Yugi? He was only trying to protect me and you had no right to harm him."

"Listen you ungrateful little insect, the Pharaoh had asked him a question and he refused to answer so we had to use other means to get what we wanted out of him." Shada said as he crossed his arms and looked at the man in front of him.

Mahado stepped up and gave Shada a very intense glare. He never appreciated Shada's tough demeanor and knew that he was only doing so because that was what the Akhenaton had taught him when he was his High Priest.

Mahado turned teal eyes toward Atemu and gave him a soft smile. "Atemu is it?"

Atemu only nodded as he looked at the man that had spoken his name. He placed his hands on his hips as he looked at the man who had dared to slap Yugi and knew that if it wasn't for all the guards he would be punching the man so hard his reincarnations would feel it.

"Atemu we did not mean to hurt your brother, but Shada was trained to be a ruthless fighter by the former Pharaoh. He does mean well he just sometimes cannot control his anger." Mahado said as he looked at the man with piercing crimson eyes.

Atemu looked at Mahado and gave him a glare as well. "I do not appreciate people hurting my brother and if you think I am going to stand back and watch as someone dares raise a hand to him then you are terribly mistaken."

"As an older sibling I know where you are coming from and I know I would fight to the death for my little sister, but like I said Shada is doing only what he was taught." Mahado said as he looked at the man before him.

Atemu just blew him off as he turned toward the Pharaoh who was staring at him intently. "So this is how you treat your people? If they do not give you what you want then you bully them into giving it to you."

Seth was taken aback by what Atemu had just said. He looked at the man with narrowed sapphire eyes. How dare he speak to him like that? No matter how gorgeous he was he still had no right to talk to the Pharaoh that way. He was the living god and no one should speak to him in that manner.

Before Seth could speak what was on his mind Atemu decided to speak his mind once more.

"Hmm…apparently I thought wrong of you Great Pharaoh you are just like your father. I do not appreciate people who use their power and strength against those who are weaker and you just proved that you are one of those people."

Again the Pharaoh was unable to speak. This defiant commoner had dared to speak to him in such a manner that it left him dumbfounded. No one had ever spoken to him in that manner and he didn't really know how to react. So he did all he knew how to do.

"Guards seize him! You will spend the rest of your life rotting in my dungeons!" Seth commanded as his guards surrounded Atemu.

"Huh…you think that your brutes scare me? I have dealt with far more intimidating figures than this." Atemu smirked as he moved quickly to escape the grasps of the men that dared to threaten him.

"You call yourselves guards of the Pharaoh!" Atemu smirked as he stood his ground.

The guards pulled their swords and pointed the blades at the boy before them.

Atemu clenched his fists, eyes darting from one guard to the next. He was unsure of what they were going to do. He could not, no he would not run. He would not show fear. His eyes narrowed s he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

Two of the guards ran toward him, but Atemu was not quick enough and they knocked him to the ground. One punched Atemu in the jaw as the other tried to restrain him, but found it difficult for he was thrashing around like a wild animal.

Then without warning Atemu grabbed one of the guards swords that was still in its scabbard and began to flail it around, not really caring if he it anyone or severely hurt them.

Both the guards jumped up and backed away from the teen.

"He stabbed me!" The taller of the guards said as he held his side.

Atemu quickly stood, but as soon as he did he began to feel light headed. He had not eaten much in weeks and he knew what was coming next. He barely caught his breath when another guard advanced toward him.

He staggered back as he tried to focus on the men advancing toward him. He could see the anger in their faces and wondered what they would do if they caught him. More so what was the Pharaoh capable off?

Exhaustion was quickly hitting him.

'This is not happening.' He thought to himself and tightened his grip on the sword he had stolen from the guard

Mahado watched as the men advanced toward Atemu. He did not want to stand there and watch the scene. For reasons unknown he wanted to help the youth, but knew he would be severely punished by the Pharaoh if he did so.

The Priest grimaced as he watched Atemu knocked to the ground and despite his resistance was no match for the royal guard. Atemu got kicked over and over again in the ribs. Mahado bit his lip trying not to cry out when he saw Atemu being picked up by his hair.

Mahado looked at the Pharaoh and saw that he had a small smile on his face. His eyes seemed to take on darkness as he watched the brutal beating of the teen. Was he going to order them to stop or let them beat Atemu to death here in the middle of town?

He looked around and saw the streets were full of villagers watching with disgust, but to his amazement some had looks of interest in what they were doing to the exotic boy.

He looked back at Atemu and what he saw finally made him act regardless of what the Pharaoh would do to him. Atemu was tossed to the ground and landed on his back. His head fell to the side, his once vibrant crimson eyes were now closed, blood was pouring from parted lips, bruises, scrapes and deep gashes littered his body. The once perfect looking body was now lying in motionless in the desert sand, but what scared Mahado the most was that his chest looked not to be moving at all.

"Stop!" Mahado yelled right before Atemu could take another brutal kick to his ribs.

"Mahado what are you doing?" Shada asked as he looked at his friend with wide eyes.

"Look at him!" Mahado yelled as he gently placed one arm under the youths back lifting him up.

Seth seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in. His eyes though seemed to show no emotion as he looked at Mahado. "Is he alive?"

Mahado placed his ear to Atemu's lips and with a sigh of relief felt soft, but labored breathing. "Yes my Pharaoh."

Seth looked at Atemu and for once seemed to take notice of the condition, but did not show any concern for the commoner. At that moment Seth realized what Atemu was to him.

A sinister smile crept onto the Pharaoh's lips as he gave his next command. "Bring him to the Palace, Mahado. I will make good use of him."

Shada looked at his Pharaoh and the look on his face sent a shiver up the Priests spine. At that moment he saw Pharaoh Akhenaden in the features of his Pharaoh.

"Yes my Pharaoh." Mahado lowered his head.

Seth nodded and without another word started toward the Palace followed by his guards.

"Please, Shada help me?" Mahado asked as he slowly stood cradling Atemu in his arms.

He walked over to his horse and handed the boy to Shada. He mounted his horse and looked down at his friend.

"He is not well Mahado. I fear he will not last long." Shada said as he helped place the boy in front of Mahado.

"I will make sure he lives, for he is our light in the darkness." Mahado said as he tightened his grip on Atemu before heading toward the Palace.

To be continued…..

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review!!

Suggestions and/or comments are appreciated!!


	5. Chapter 4

Okay so this is my longest chapter ever!! 14 pages!! It was 11, but thanx to Stranded I made it longer. She gave me a good idea and so I went with it!

Thanx Stranded for all your help and support this chapter is dedicated to you!!

To all my reader thank you so much for the review!! You guys keep me going!! Luv you all!

WARNING: Forced/ non-consensual situation at end. Don't like please don't read

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

Chapter Four

Teana spun around as she heard the door burst open and gasped at the sight of the two that had just entered. Both Jono and Yugi were disheveled and out of breath. Upon closer inspection she saw that Yugi's face was a hue of pink and his amethyst eyes were swollen and had fresh tears in them.

Before she could even speak a word, she rushed forward and placed gentle hands on his shoulders. "Yugi, what is wrong? What happened to you?"

Yugi tried to speak, but all that came out was a soft whimper as he laid his head on her chest and continued to sob. Teana looked up at Jono waiting to see if he was going to give her any information as to why Yugi was in this condition.

Jono only stared at the two on the floor, but offered no advice as he was too shocked to what has aspired only moments ago. He never had anyone close to him taken by he Pharaoh and could only think of the worst.

Was Atemu being tortured or was he already….

Jono didn't even want to think the last part of his chaotic thoughts, but more questions seemed to conjure in his mind as he looked at the youth held tightly in Teana's arms.

What would happen to Atemu? What would Yugi do without his brother around? More importantly who would take care of Yugi? Of course Teana and he could make sure he was taken care of, but it was not the same.

Atemu and Yugi had never been apart since they had met and from what they had collected from Yugi it had been that way since as far back as he could remember.

Teana gave a sigh as she looked down at Yugi who still had his head resting on her chest. She bit her lower lip not understanding the reason he was shivering and holding her so tight. Something terrible must have happened, but what she could not fathom as she slowly looked up from the boy she looked around the room and noticed that someone was missing from the group.

She released her bottom lip as she realized that Atemu was not among them. She furrowed her eyebrows as she realized that Atemu was always by Yugi's side even at the smallest of tasks. He was not only Yugi's brother, but his guardian. She remembered at that second what Atemu had once told her. He would protect Yugi even from death. If Anubis was to come down himself, he would stand in his way.

She was drawn from her thoughts when she heard a small, strained whisper.

"Temu."

She pulled Yugi away from her, but just a little, so she could get a clear view of Yugi's face. "What about Atemu?"

That question caused Yugi to lose what little composure he still had. "They took him!"

Teana jumped at the sudden, unexpected outburst from the boy. "Who took him?"

Yugi wiped his nose with his arm and looked down at the floor as more sobs erupted. Teana once again looked at Jono hoping this time he would be able to tell her something of the situation.

Instead of a real answer he turned and punched the wall as hard as he could as a low growl escaped his throat. This caused Teana to stand as she steadied Yugi so he would not fall over.

"Jono, for the last time, tell me what is going on?!" Teana exclaimed as she looked at the blonde with narrow azure eyes.

Jono stood straight and looked at the woman before him. In all the years of being friends he never saw her angry. Finally he answered her as he looked over at Yugi who was on his hands and knees his quiet sobs could still be heard.

"It was the Pharaoh that took Atemu."

Teana gasped as she placed her hand to her mouth and azure eyes wide. It took what seemed like ages before she could muster the strength to say one word. "Why?"

It was not Jono who gave the answer, but Yugi who was now sitting on the floor looking up at his two friends. "They…the Pharaoh and his guards were looking for him, but when I refused to tell them where he was one of the High Priest's slapped me."

Jono decided it would be wise for him to finish as he saw the young boy start to shake uncontrollably as the tears started to form once more. "Atemu told me to get Yugi out of there. I wanted to stay and help, I really did, but Atemu thought of Yugi's safety before his own."

Teana said nothing, for there was nothing to say. Atemu was gone and they had no way of getting him back. They could not risk it if they were caught; besides how in the world could they break into the Palace.

"That is it then, I will never see my brother again." Yugi closed his eyes as more tears ran down his face.

Teana and Jono looked at each other, frowns evident on their lips. For once in a long time there was nothing they could do to pull Yugi from his despair. They only thing they could do now were to pray to the Gods that Atemu would be safe.

--

* * *

Out of all the empty rooms in the palace Atemu could have been taken, Mahado felt that his room would be the safest for now. He knew the Pharaoh wanted him to be placed in the dungeons, but with his wounds he may not have survived the night. The Priest gently laid the man on the bed and ran a hand through the exotic and mysterious tri-colored locks. As he did this he waited to see any movement from Atemu, but to no avail.

"Mahado!" A girl's voice rang through the room.

He turned and smiled as he saw his sister standing in the doorway with her knees slightly bent inwards and hands behind her back as if afraid to enter the room without permission.

"You may enter, Mana." Mahado said as he stood.

She walked up and gave her brother a hug, but stepped back and gasped at the sight on the bed. "Ra, what happened to him?" Will he be alright?"

"He will be fine dear sister." Mahado said not wanting to tell her that it was the Pharaoh who had ordered for the young man to be taught a lesson, resulting in the predicament he was in now.

Mana did not ask anymore questions. She did not want to press for the answers that she wanted. She would eventually find out who this beautiful man was and what had happened to him. Until then she would make herself useful in helping her brother tend to him. "Is there anything you would like me to bring you?"

"Yes, some cloths and a bowl of warm water so I can begin to clean and dress his wounds." Mahado smiled as his sister, who was much too hyper for her own good, turned and ran out of the room.

A short time later Mana had entered the room and with the supplies he had asked for. She sat on her knees beside her brother and watched as he tenderly wiped the dirt and blood from the young mans face. She cringed as she took notice of the deep gashes on his neck, face, and shoulders.

Her curiosity could contain itself and as she was about to ask if he knew the exotic mans name she heard footsteps. As she turned she jumped quickly and kneeled to her Pharaoh. His foreboding presence made Mahado squirm as he too turned and kneeled in respect.

"Mana, leave us. I wish to speak to Mahado in private." Seth said as he stepped closer to his Priest.

"Yes, my Lord." She stood and bowed once more before she ran out of the room not daring to stop even after she made it through the door. It was not wise to eaves drop on the Pharaoh. That would cost her much more than a stay in the dungeon. It would be her head.

Seth narrowed his eyes as he looked from Mahado to the bed. "I gave you direct orders to take him to the dungeon, Priest Mahado."

Mahado remained on his knees as he addressed his Pharaoh. "I thought it would be wise to cleanse his wounds. If he came down with infection it may cost him his life."

Seth gave a snort as he continued to look at the man on the bed. "I care of this, how?"

The only reason he did not wish for this man, Atemu, to die now was because of a test he had in mind. He wanted to see how the Sennen Puzzle would react to him. Everyone else who had tried to wield its power was weak in either body or mind, but this man proved to be neither. He was strong willed and not so easily disturbed. It would be interesting to see if he too would go mad like the others.

This thought brought a smirk to Seth's lips as he twirled his Sennen Rod in his fingers. His eyes turned a darker shade of sapphire as though the shadows themselves were twisting around his irises.

Mahado watched in horror as he saw the sadistic look creep onto his Pharaoh's face. It reminded him of Seth's father, the former Pharaoh Akhenaden. His father used to be a kind man before the Sennen Items were forged; at least that is what Shimon had once told him. It was that fateful day in Kul Elna that had drove Akhenaden to madness. For that was the day he had created the items and now that same madness could be seen forming in Seth's eyes.

Mahado turned his attention back to Atemu as the Pharaoh looked back at him. He did not like the sinister look in his Pharaoh's eyes and was scared for the young man that lay before him. He ran a cloth down Atemu's face, but still no change. The guards had done much damage to the frail boy, but something else was not right.

Mahado lifted up the boys' shirt and gasped as he could almost count every rib. He looked as though he had not eaten in quit some time. Maybe he could have Mana sneak some food in after the Pharaoh retired to his chambers.

"Mahado, did you hear a word I said." Seth asked irritated as he started to lose his patience.

Mahado turned around and bowed his head. "I am truly sorry my Pharaoh, I was lost in thought."

"Hn…I will send Isis down to help take care of my new…jewel. Then as soon as he is well enough to move I want him taken to my chambers." Seth said as he turned.

He started to walk out the door before he stopped. "Make sure he is given proper clothes. I do not wish to have the filth he has on now to ruin my bed."

Mahado's eyes widened as he watched the Pharaoh leave. So that was his real intention. He wanted Atemu for a sex slave. He looked back at the exotic man and whispered. "I am sorry."

--

* * *

Isis walked down the hall as she wasted no time after her orders from the Pharaoh. She was still concerned and confused as to why the Pharaoh ordered Siamun to find clothing of crimson in color to be sent to his room. It was an odd request since his main colors of choice were white, beige and various shades of blue.

As she drew closer to Mahado's room she felt a vibration from her Sennen Tauk indicating that someone was close to her. She looked over and her cobalt eyes softened as she saw Mana standing in the shadows.

"It is alright Mana you can step out of hiding. The Pharaoh is not around." Isis whispered as she stepped closer to the mage in training.

Thank you Lady Isis." Mana smiled as she bowed.

Mana held a great deal of respect for the Priestess standing before her. She was string and kind, but could also be vicious. She had seen that not long ago when she found thieves trying to break into the late Akhenaden's tomb. She ripped out their souls without batting an eye and sent them to their deaths. There was no need for a trial. The Pharaoh found the punishment just and his word was law.

Isis swept by Mana who followed the Priestess into the room. Isis smiled as she saw Mahado working hard to clean the dried blood from the man. Mahado was so caring and that is one of the things that made her fall for him. She sighed as she closed her eyes. It was not possible though, as long as they served the Pharaoh no emotions were to show. It would cause judgment to fail and possibly cost the Pharaoh and others their lives. They would surely come to the aide of one another before anyone else.

Mahado heard the small sigh and looked back to see Isis and Mana standing before him. He looked deeply into the cobalt eyes of the Priestess and smiled. He knew that she would come is she knew someone needed her. She was much like him when it came to helping others and her healing powers were strong. Some even questioned if she could return the dead to the living.

He shook his head and turned toward Atemu. "Isis, this is Atemu. We found him in town. He was severely beaten and horribly malnourished."

Isis walked over and kneeled before the exotic Atemu. "You must be very special to the Pharaoh."

At her words Mahado bit his tongue. He did not or could not tell her what the Pharaoh had planned for the young man. The Pharaoh using this man in such a way even made his stomach turn. He closed his eyes and answered Isis, hoping she would not see past his lie. "Yes, the Pharaoh does care for this man.'

Isis saw the deceit in Mahado's words, but did not want to speak her mind until his sister had gone. She knew that he protected her from the evil of the outside world and even the evil from the Pharaoh himself. Tears almost formed in her eyes at the thought of the young prince running and playing outside. He and Mahado had been the greatest of friends that is until Pharaoh Akhenaden though his son was now old enough to handle the tasks of learning to become Pharaoh at the tender age of nine.

That is when Seth and Mahado became Prince and High Priest toward each other. They were no longer playmates; Mahado was now his teacher in the art of magic and summoning. Since he was to wield the Gods one day he had to learn the power for which they held. Unfortunately he was only able to command one of the three, Obelisk the Tormentor. The Winged Dragon of Ra and Osiris the Sky Dragon still remained asleep until their true master came to be.

She was drawn from her tortured thoughts when Mana spoke.

"Is he to be our savior? You know the one who is to save us from the Shadows?" Mana asked as she kneeled beside Atemu, who still had yet to awaken.

Mahado looked at his sister with wide jade eyes. "Why do you ask this sister?"

"Well…his name." She said as she looked down at her hands now resting in her lap.

"What about his name?" Isis asked as she too was now curious as to the origin of this man's name.

Mahado thought for a moment and then looked back at Isis. "Atemu, he is named after the God of Annu."

Isis brought her hand to her mouth and looked at the still form of the person they were talking about. A question now began to plague her. Could he be the embodiment of a God?

She shook her head at the notion. Only Pharaoh's were living God's and this man was not royalty by the looks of his clothing. Her attention now turned from Atemu to Mahado and Mana. "It is mere coincidence that he is named for a God."

Isis kneeled beside Mana and looked over at Mahado. "Let us not concern ourselves with such matters now. Our immediate attention should be the well being of this young man."

Isis did not want to let on that she was also lost in the hope that a there was a savior of worlds, but this commoner was not the one who was to do that. She could sense he had a great power, but a chosen one he was not.

As she set to work to heal the man calling on all the power she could muster she looked over at Mahado and saw the tiredness in his eyes. He knew much more than what he was letting on.

--

* * *

Atemu moaned as he slowly opened crimson eyes. The last thing he remembered was insulting the Pharaoh and getting the life beat out of him and in moments everything had went dark.

"The Pharaoh…" Atemu whispered as he rolled over.

He gasped as he sat up, but as soon as he did felt nauseous and the room started to spin. He lied back down and felt the soft material below his fingertips. He wanted to know where he was, but at the moment found himself unable to open his eyes. He let out a breath of relief for he knew that he was not in any dungeon.

He had almost fallen asleep when he heard doors open and then shut tightly. He tried to open his eyes to see who had entered, but found everything was covered in darkness as it was now night. The only light was that of the moon coming from a large balcony beside of him. His mind was screaming for him to jump up and find out where he was, but his body was too tired and battered to put up a fight.

As he lay there perfectly still he felt the bed give as if someone or something had sat right next to him. His eyes shot open as he heard the familiar voice beside him.

"You are very fortunate that I let you live."

"I guess I should be thankful, Great Pharaoh." Atemu spat as his eyes narrowed at that statement. This man was such an arrogant fool,

Seth said nothing as he looked down at the exotic beauty beside him. Atemu was alluring, strong and in his bed. Seth smiled at the thought of having the other lying under him moaning or more preferably screaming his name. For he was the Pharaoh he could have whomever he wanted, without any question or argument. He leaned closer until his lips were almost touching Atemu's shoulder.

Atemu felt the warm breath and finally found the strength to move. He jumped at the close contact for it caused him to remember the night he saved Yugi at the cost of his own innocence. He did not care if he had hit the Pharaoh in the process; all he cared about was getting away.

Seth watched in amusement as Atemu ran to the door and pulled as hard as he could and then pushed trying to find anyway to escape from his capture. He cried out for help as he pounded his fists on the wooden door that stood in his way. Atemu then started to claw frantically until his fingers started to leave blood trails on the elegant wood. Exhausted after exerting so much energy Atemu slid to the floor and placed his head in blood laced hands.

Seth stood from his bed and walked over to Atemu wondering what had sparked such a frantic and desperate emotion. Surely it was not his presence maybe this man was not as strong as he had first thought.

He stood looking down at Atemu never offering any help. A Pharaoh did not do such things. So he did what he knew. He barked an order. "Get up!"

Atemu never complied as he remained seated with his head still buried in his hands. He was upset that he was trapped, but more pissed at showing weakness.

"I said get up!" Seth yelled losing his patience for the man before him.

Atemu gave one whispered, defiant response. "No."

Seth was taken aback by being denied. He could feel the anger boiling inside him as he reached down and grabbed Atemu by his tri-colored spikes and pulled him up. Seth was mere millimeters away from Atemu's face when he yelled. "You dare disobey me!"

Atemu opened his eyes and looked at the Pharaoh who gasped at the sight of the man. His eyes were now deep crimson as though a fire was burning in his soul. Darkness seemed to surround the room causing Seth to release Atemu from his grip. The Pharaoh stood back and crossed his arms. It was true the look Atemu had surprised him, but he was a living God and not terrified of a mere peasant.

"You order your guards to beat me! Then you bring me back here and try to mend my physical wounds and Ra only knows what you were planning to do to me just moments ago!" Atemu yelled as he stepped closer to the Pharaoh.

Seth narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the man before him. "Do not raise your voice to me."

Atemu stood and crossed his arms matching the look the Pharaoh was giving him. Crimson burned into sapphire as they stared at each other. Seth never breaking his gaze as a smirk started playing on his lips.

Atemu arched an eyebrow as he saw that look on his face. He had no idea of what the Pharaoh was thinking, but he knew that it would not be good for him. Instead of cowering back and giving in Atemu stood a little straighter, no matter how much it hurt and gave a smirk equal to the Pharaoh.

"This will be fun." Seth breathed as he closed the gap between him and Atemu.

"What?" Atemu asked as he started to feel light headed again and his sides felt as though on fire. It was way too soon for him to exert any force.

"Claiming you as mine and breaking your spirit." Seth sneered.

Atemu's crimson eyes widened as the Pharaoh stepped closer to him and grabbed him by the arm. As Atemu tried to pull away he felt hot breath on his ear and a stern whisper. "You will only make it worse on yourself if you fight me."

This statement stunned Atemu long enough for his assailant to throw him on the bed. He cried out in pain as if every wound he had acquired had torn open at that moment. He instinctively curled up into a fetal position and closed his eyes tightly trying to get the pain to go away, but was snapped back to reality when he found himself being forced over on his back. He could not fight it. His strength had left him. All he could feel now was searing hot pain and a fear that started to form in the depth of his soul.

Atemu had no way to shield himself as he felt his arms being pulled above his head and felt a weight lying on top of him. He could not or did not want to open his eyes to see the sight before him, for he knew all to well what was about to happen.

Seth placed his lips to Atemu's neck and kissed up until he reached his jaw. He slowly moved to his ear and kissed and nipped at the lobe. "Open your eyes." He commanded in a whisper.

Atemu only shook his head slightly as he felt the hands leave from his wrists. He bit his lip until he could taste the bitter blood in his mouth. He wanted to cry out, but knew that only silence would answer him. He felt the hands tangle in his hair and with one hard jerk his eyes snapped open as he bit harder into his lip.

"There are my beautiful crimson orbs." Seth said seductively as he stared into scared, tear-filled eyes.

Seth's hands left Atemu's hair and started to trail down his sides. The Pharaoh was not rewarded with a moan, but a sharp intake of breath as he continued down until his hands rested on Atemu's hips. He started to slowly run his hands under the crimson tunic, which matched Atemu's eyes. He heard a whimper as he looked up and saw sad crimson eyes looking at him. He only smirked as his hand went up further until he reached what he has been looking for.

"Please, please I do not want this." Atemu begged as he felt the Pharaoh starting to trail a finger over his entrance.

"No, but I do." Seth said as he plunged his finger deep within the man below him.

"Stop, please!" Atemu yelled at the unprepared intrusion.

Seth only continued to move in and out of him with a sinister smile playing on his lips as he watched the smaller man squirm. He saw a tiny amount of blood falling past Atemu's full luscious lips and could only wonder what the other would taste like.

Finally after what seemed like forever Atemu felt the Pharaoh withdraw his finger. He slowly opened his eyes only to see Seth with a small vile in his hand. He watched as he poured a small amount of oil into his hand. His eyes followed the hand with the oil and watched as the Pharaoh started to stroke himself.

Atemu cringed as the Pharaoh lifted his hips. He gasped as he felt the tip at the beginning of his entrance. Seth leaned down to capture the others lips drawing out a moan as he tasted the bitterness of the blood mixed with the sweetness of his slave.

Atemu made a sound of displeasure as he placed his hands on the others chest trying to push him away, but found that he could not even do that. All he could do was lie there and take the others abuse.

Seth broke the kiss and looked into now haze filled crimson orbs and without warning plunged into Atemu with one quick motion. Atemu opened his mouth to scream only to have the Pharaoh place a hand over it. The muffled scream was mixed with sounds of pleasured groans.

Atemu's eyes rolled back into his head and he felt all conscious leaving him. The pain in his body was too great as he could see the edges of his vision start to dim. He prayed he would pass out soon so he would not have to feel anymore pain.

Seth never seemed to notice that the man below him was starting to fade in and out of consciousness. The only thing he felt was the tightness and warmth of the other drawing him closer to release. Each waive of ecstasy caused him to move faster and faster.

Finally with one last deep thrust he released into Atemu, moaning and breathing heavily as he rolled off the man below him. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh as he tried to get his breathing under control. He looked over at Atemu as saw that he was lying with eyes closed and his breathing was shallow and labored.

The Pharaoh looked at his slave and saw that he was not faring well. He scooped up the limp body and placed him to lie properly on the bed. He brushed back strands of blonde bangs from the sweat covered face causing a small stir from Atemu.

Crimson eyes slowly fluttered opened as he turned to look at the man who had just defiled him. To Seth's surprise they held no hatred or anger only deep sadness, lose and pain.

Those tormented eyes tore at the Pharaoh's icy heart, but the words that Atemu was about to speak would make it feel as though it was tearing in two.

"My dear Pharaoh….you are no different….than the commoners and criminals of your Kingdom." Yami breathed before darkness consumed him.

To be continued…………………..

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Please drop a review!! Let me know what you thought!!


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